John Schertow, Author at Toward Freedom

Sacrificing the Mekong River Basin in the Name of Electricity

John Schertow December 11, 2008 John Schertow

Facing a Mekong River Dam

The Mekong river is considered the lifeblood of southeast Asia. The river has ensured the health and security of countless people, providing them with food, water for crops, and a means of trade and transportation. Today the Mekong supports as many as 100 million people. However, the onset of Hydro development, which began in the early 1990s, threatens to drastically change that.

New Zealand: The Maori Struggle for Land and Life

John Schertow October 2, 2008 John Schertow

The Maori People of Aotearoa (New Zealand) are now standing at a crossroads, forced to choose between sovereignty and colonialism. Within the recent Maori settlement program, the government offers large sums of money and small fragments of land. In exchange, the Maori are expected to give up their independence and become New Zealand citizens. Recent history shows that the New Zealand government is more than willing to use intimidation and violence to control and assimilate the Maori.